b"Most-Frequent QuestionsQ.Do any of UL's winduplift tests correspondtoFM's?Dothetwo organizations coordinate on product or on Fire and Windroof assembly approvals?'_! A.No, UL andFMnot coordinate wind .do.uplift testingproduct approval programs. by Bob LaCos.se, CAEon Infact, there is a wide divergence in the Questions oontinuebebytwo laboratories' test procedures. toaskedarchitects, building owners, roofing contractors and othersaboutapprovals,listings,testingUL subjects a10-foot-by-10-foot sample toon the underside of and criteria by Factory Mutual(FM)andpositive pressurethe Underwriters Laboratories (UL) involvingdeck and negative pressure on the top side roofing products and roofing assemblies into determine wind uplift resistance. relation to fire performance, fire resistance, fire ratings and wind uplift.FM subjects asmaller sample to positive pressure only on the underside of the deck. ArticleshavebeenwrittenabouttheseUL's ratings for wind uplift resistance are Classes 30, 6090, while FM's ratings questions in the past and programs oonductedand coveringthissubject.The most recentare Classes 1-60 and I-90. program dates back to 1985 at the annual Q.all fiberglass composition shingles conventionoftheMidwestRoofingAre Contractors Association (MRCA).Bob Lacosse, CABdesignated Class A? MRCATechnical Assistant Therefore, to assist and update membersandthedecktodefineafirehazardA.Allcomposition asphalt/glassmat of the roofing industry, the following areclassification. Therefore, itshingles being labeled today are designated should be used somethe most frequently asked questions:onlytoclassifyexposedinteriorfinishA.Atsome glass fiber mat ofClassone time, materials.shingles with lighter glass fiber mats were Q.What is the difference between ULdesignated Oass B.Manufacturers have Class A, Band Cfire ratings for theirdiscontinued production of Fireresistancerefersto the ability of athose shingles. resistance to fire hazards?structure on an assembly (walls, roof and ceiling) to act as a barrier to the spread ofBut it ispossiblethatthiscould occur A.-wi~h lass- A-ratings-are-again-;-1-'o-be-certa-iil;-chee~ the-U:b 1abe Roofroverings fire and-toconnne iilolife area oforigfn. -resistanttoseverefireexposure.Theyon the bundles.Allasphalt/organic felt cannot.be readily flammable nor can theyCriteria used for establishing fire resistancecomposition shingles are designated Oass be carriers or communicators of fire.ratingsforassembliesaretestedinC for UL fire rating. accordance withASTM E119,Standard Class A coverings must offer a high degreeMethodsof FireTestsof BuildingQ. How can roofing contractors fmd out ofto the roof deck, cannot slipabout therequirementsfor fire-rated protectionConstruction and Materials. UL from position nor can theypossessa flying263, NFPA assembles on a particular 251andAmericanNationalStandardsjob? brand hazard.In contrast, Class BroofInstitute(ANSI)A2.1.Fireresistance coverings are resistant onlytomoderateratings are expressed in time periods of 1,A.Whentheyget apermit,roofing fireexposure, and Oass Ccoverings are1 1/2, and 2 hours.contractorsshouldconsultwithlocal effective only against light fire expamres.buildingdepartmentsfortheircode Q. Whata ClassIroofassembly?requirements on fire rating of assemblies Q.What is the difference between flameisdeck and find out if the construction requires spread and fire resistance?AULdeckFM or UL approval. does not classify roofassemblies A.Flame spread is tested in accordanceas Oass I.Ituses construction numbers such asand 3 for fire ratings and windIndividual jurisdictions havetheirown 1, 2, with the American Society for Testing anduplift in itsbuilding materialsdirectory.codes that usually are adopted from one of Materials (ASTM) E84, the Standard TestFMdesignates approvals asClass Iandthe three model building codes, the National Method for Surface Burning Characters ofClass II roof assemblies.Building Code of the Building Officials BuildingMaterials(25-foot tunnel),ULandCode AdministrationInternational 713 and National Fire Protection AssociationFor example, a roof(BOCA), the Uniform Building Code of (NFP255.These tests provide ratingswith an insulated steel A)deck is designated as FMisthe International Conference of Building Class I when it of exposed interior finish products.constructed with above-deck componentsOfficials (ICBO) or the Southern Standard that have metlimitations onBuilding Code of the Southern Building FMheat release Materials are classified based upon theirrates during testing in the FMCode Congress International (SBCCI). construction flame-spread index valuesfollows: Oass ascalorimeter. II,Because the local codes usually are I flame spread, 0-25; Oass26-75; Oass adoptedr III, 76-200.Whentheheatfromtheroof assemblyfromthemodelcodeswithsomoJ undergoingthetestexceedsthosemodifications, they tend to be similar from This apparatus has been misused in somelimitations, the roofone locale to another. Usually an is designated Class II.architect cases for acceptance ofsuch compositesasBut Class II has FMif approvalsprinklers built-up roofing that include the insulationare used throughout the building Continued on page 5 Page 2"